Cape Town

Welcome to Cape Town. What a fantastic city this is?? First I had to get here…..I left George via their weekly farmers market, which felt very much like stumbling upon a German Christmas Market, but one you could buy guns at. I brought a few provisions for my 5 hour drive to Cape Town, listened to some dodgy singer, whose wife was playing the organ (just knowing if I had been with someone, we wouldn’t have been in hysterics ?) and was on my way.

Nice easy drive to Cape Town from George. I found the airbnb easily (no more issues with google maps) and settled in. The apartment had a washing machine, so I got cracking on the laundry.

Next day I was up bright and early… I had sightseeing to do. I left the car behind and jumped on a tourist bus. 1st stop was Table Mountain. There was the option of a 3-4hour hike up it, but I reluctantly chose to take the cable car as I had left my hiking boots at home?? The view from the top was magnificent. There was also the option to abseil, but once again I had to decline.

Back on the bus, it took us all along the coast until we reached the V&A waterfront. Very nice area, high end shops and restaurants etc, a bit out of my price range but I found a bench I could eat my mymite sandwich on ? The price of tourist bus also included a harbour boat tour and a sunset tour from Signal Hill (more on that later). The boat trip was great, saw the seals hanging out and birds nesting.

Once back on dry land I explored the Victoria and Alfred waterfront further….yep, definitely couldn’t afford anything here, but great vibe. In Brighton recently, we had differently decorated/designed ‘snow-dogs’ and ’snails’ to raise money for charity. V&A had rhinos. I’m not sure how many they had altogether, I found 6.

Back on the bus for the sunset tour to Signal Hill. I think watching the sunset from this point is a popular pastime as lots of people where there, many with picnic hampers. It wasn’t the greatest sunset, that night, but a fabulous view.

Next day I was up and out early again. This time I was off to Robben Island. Robben Island is the place where most of SA’s political prisoners were sent during Apartheid. Nelson Mandela spent 18 years here. We took a ferry across to the island which took about 1/2hour. The whole experience was really well organised and delivered. We ended up on buses in groups of about 30, and were given our own tour guide for the island. The guides are ex-prisoners and the whole experience was very moving. Our guide had worked in the kitchen for most of his sentence, and had arrived after Mandela had been moved to another prison. I think the conditions at the prison were especially tough during the 60’s and 70’s when Mandela was there. The leaders of the political parties, such as Mandela, were kept separate from the rest of the prison population to prevent stirring up trouble.

  • 4th window from the left was Mandela’s cell
  • Mandela’s cell for 18 years.
  • Table Mountain in the distance which the prisoners looked at for hope
  • Robben Island 5miles from the mainland

After the trip to Robben Island, I headed to a quiet beach to reflect on what I had seen and heard and another sunset. Interestingly, the Ocean here is colder in the summer than the winter because of winds and currents and stuff I don’t understand. Apparently the temperature is only between 10-14 degrees, so not many people go swimming….I didn’t ??

The following day, I wasn’t up quite so early, but I knew exactly where I wanted to go…… Boulders Beach. Here is a colony of African Penguins that are on the verge of extinction, but now under the protection of the Cape Nature Conservation. From just 2 breeding pairs in 1982, the colony has grown to 3000 penguins. In parts, you are able to get up really close to the penguins but there is also areas roped off areas so they are not disturbed. I couldn’t be more in love ??

Leaving Boulders Beach I headed to Cape Point and Cape Hope. It is said that it is here that the Atlantic and Indian Ocean join, but in truth, it’s probably further along coast. It is however, the most South-western point of Africa. Spectacular views of the cliffs and Ocean/s and the point where a lot of ships have met their end.

  • The 2 oceans joining??

My last full day in Cape Town involved visiting a very special museum. This one was in Cape Town’s 2nd largest hospitals. On 3 December 1967, a medical, nursing, and technical team led by the surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the world’s first human to human heart transplant, placing Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, on the international map. The museum is set up in the actual operating theatre where the surgery took place. It is totally authentic as the staff that were present during the operation, helped set up the ‘theatre’ to show exactly where things where and where staff stood etc. As a theatre nurse, it was so fascinating to see this bit of history. The models were so realistic, they were made by the artists from Madam Tussaud’s.

  • They started out practicing on dogs
  • The bypass machine for the dogs!!
  • Dr Christiaan Barnard at his desk
  • The donor heart being removed by 1st team
  • Removal
  • Removal
  • Removal
  • Sterilising instruments
  • Sterilising instruments
  • The 2 perfusionists
  • New heart going in
  • Going in
  • Going in
  • Scrub up room
  • Going in
  • Going in
  • Perfusionists
  • Anaesthetist
  • Swab count
  • Not Tony Phippard tidy ?
  • This is Theatre 1, where the donor heart was removed, looking through to Theatre 2 where it was transplanted.
  • Dr Barnard visiting Louis Washkansky post-op
  • Tribute to the first donor and her family, so we never forget Denise Darvall.

After being away from work for 12 weeks it was good to be back inside an operating theatre ??

After the museum, I found a nice spot on the beach front for lunch and then returned my little blue car. Very sorry to give it back….we’d had some adventures together. Altogether we drove 4910kms or 3051miles, nearly the same distance as Brighton to New York, or Brighton to Edinburgh and back 3 times.

So my thoughts on South Africa…..love ❤️love❤️ love. Please don’t believe all the bad press it gets. Yes it has problems, but honestly, what country doesn’t?? As long as you are sensible and take precautions there is no reason to get into any trouble. It has everything here….stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, amazing animals, history and the most incredible people. The roads are easy to drive, on the left, like in the UK, you just need to watch out for wrong turns, the cattle, potholes and people hitchhiking on the motorways. Highlights include, Johannesburg for it’s history, Port Elizabeth for being like Brighton ??‍♀️, Wildness to Knysna to Plettenberg Bay + Route 2 and 9 (Garden route) for being stunning, Kruger NP for the animals and Cape Town for it’s beauty and history.

Tomorrow I set off on an organised tour that will take me through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe over 20 days. This will be the 1st time in nearly 9 weeks, I will be spending prolonged time with other people…..I hope they aren’t annoying. Maybe it will be like channel 4’s ‘coach trip’ and we can red card them, if they are……I hope I don’t get red carded ?

Durban to George via (not Coffee Bay) Port Elizabeth

Leaving Durban, I was heading for a place called Coffee Bay to spend the next night. As I think I have stated before I try not to drive more than 5 hours a day, as I want to be experience the country, not just ‘drive’ it. Anyway the trip to Coffee Bay should have taken approx 7 hours, which was going to be a long day at the wheel. The drive started off well enough, the scenery was gorgeous, the weather wasn’t the best, but I’m English, so used to rain and fog ????.

Look at that weather I was driving towards???

At about 4pm, I got to the town of Mthatha from where I would head down to the bay, still approximately 2 more hours driving. Following google maps, things now took a a bit of a turn. The reason it was still another 2 hours to go, although only about 50km in distance, was because the road was pretty much a dirt track from here. It was uncomfortable and annoying but manageable. This ‘road’ also had lots of cattle/donkeys/sheep/chickens wandering across it at times ?

The video above shows what the road was like, in the light and when it wasn’t too bad!!!

After about an hour of driving on this awful road, google maps decided to pack up and I was now trying to find Coffee Bay without any ideas where I was going, and no road signs. I continued driving for 2 more hours, and felt I was lost. At this point it was getting dark, the weather wasn’t great and animals in the road at every turn. I had always said to myself that for safety reasons I would never drive after dark. I had no signal on my phone other than being able to text. So I SOS Jake, to see if he could work out where I was. At 1st we struggled, but after probably another couple of hours, we worked out that I could get my GPS location on my phone, send it to Jake who then told me which direction to go in.

  • After dark ?

Eventually at about 10pm, I found a track that would led me back to the main town Mthatha. I had decided to give up on finding coffee bay, although Jake said I wasn’t that far from it, because a) there was no way there would be anyone to check me in as I was so late and b) I was getting low on fuel. Midnight I got back to Mthatha, I found a petrol station and filled up on fuel and used the facilities. Looking around, I thought there was no way I was going to find accommodation at this time of night and decided that in view of driving for 15hours that day would ‘bed’ down in the car on the petrol forecourt ??.

I felt quite safe at the petrol station, there was people working all night and it was well lite. Plus they had a toilet and the police and paramedics were also coming and going to use it ?? I slept on and off until 5am, when it became light and I decided it would be safe to drive again. Well I had come away for adventures. Next stop Port Elizabeth.

Jake’s helpful map the next day about where it all went wrong ??

I took an ’easy’ 5 hour drive to Port Elizabeth very aware that I was tired and had had a rough time the day before. I took regular breaks and got to PE by lunch time. I’ll admit a song came on the radio and I had a few tears…purely due to being tired. I guess one of the disadvantages of solo travelling, is that when something doesn’t go to plan you don’t have another person to bounce off and help make decisions. After my ’moment’ I realised I was back by the ocean and found a lovely cafe right on the beach. There was an outside seating area, which was empty because it was a bit windy!!! I’m from Brighton….it could barely be classed as a light breeze ??

After a lovely lunch, I took a walk along the seafront, then went to check into my B&B. Once there, I showered, got into my pj’s and SLEPT ??. I woke up early evening, didn’t feel like I wanted to do anything or make any effort, so got in my car and went and had a ‘drive thru’ McDonalds. My 1st McD’s in 7weeks. It wasn’t as great as I remember!!!

  • We went through a lot together trying to find coffee bay
  • Port Elizabeth

Feeling all refreshed the next day, I set about trying to see the sights. It’s mainly a seaside town and the museum was closed (off season), so I sat in the nice cafe on the beach and had a hot chocolate. Weather was a bit drizzly but less windy, but it brightened up as the day went on. Port Elizabeth reminded me very much of Brighton, but with sand. Would have been a wonderful place to swim in the sea if the weather had been better. I keep forgetting that it’s only spring here, so like the UK, the weather is very changeable. Plus, because it’s spring, I got to see ducklings again, this year!!! The B&B was great too, very friendly staff and I learned all about retirement villages.

  • Red flag, no swimming


Leaving Port Elizabeth the next morning, I was heading for George, my last stop before getting to Cape Town. This journey is the part famous ‘Garden Route’. The weather was still a little drizzly but oh my goodness, what a beautiful drive. There are 2 roads that I could have taken to get to George, google maps (who I’m still not talking to after the whole coffee bay incidence), took me along the upper road between the mountains. I passed apple farms, vineyards, ostrich farms and so many other beautiful sights. At lunch time I came across a lovely road side pizza restaurant where I was served by an English woman. We had a brilliant chat.

I’ve had 3 nights in George, and it’s a very pretty town. As I had got here via the mountain route, I decided to go back a bit along the coast to Plettenburg Bay as I had heard it was very beautiful. I also stopped at Wilderness and Knysna. The coastal Garden Route was just as stunning as the mountain route and I’m so pleased I drove a bit of it. When I got to Plettenburg Bay, I walked along the long beach, paddled but didn’t swim…still a bit cold for me.

  • Nesting
  • What the hell was this on the beach??

The next day I went back up the mountain road because when I came down it, it had been misty and I thought there was probably great views…I was right. While in George I also visited a transport museum…not because I’m interested in trains but because they had a little tourist train that went up the mountain…it was closed (have I mentioned before, it’s off season here ??) The Springboks tour coach was there, and when people found out I was English, they insisted on taking my photo next to it, looking sad….I obliged. I drove to Mossell Bay, had a nice lunch then ‘face-timed’ Iris at work who was retiring. It was lovely to see everyone, but I don’t miss work.

And finally, don’t rely on google maps, in fact always have a back-up plan on how to get somewhere. I really have become too reliant on technology. I need to do Tony P’s orienteering course??? Also when lost, just hope that your mum doesn’t phone you in the middle of it, because she will worry and an international incident may be declared. Or at least be more clear in telling her that all is ok ???? Sorry mum, and Martha ??

Malelane to Durban via Swaziland (eSwatini) and Sodwana Bay

After breakfast in Malelane I headed to eSwatini, formally called Swaziland. When planning my route, I try and not drive for more than 5 hours a day. The drive to the capital of eSwatini was really beautiful. Through fantastic mountain villages where the children at the side of the roads would wave and smile. I think I was expecting eSwatini to be like South Africa (ignorant, I know), but the people were so different. Obviously I was only there for a very short amount of time, but the country seemed much ‘fairer’ without the segregation that I have seen in SA. It felt like the people were proud of their country and history and that the British (colonisation) hadn’t caused devision. I’m sorry if I have this completely wrong…this is just my opinion.

One of the exciting things about going into eSwatini is the boarder crossing. I am just about old enough to remember these in Europe. Who knows, after Brexit, maybe we will have to go though this again. I’m sure the novelty would soon wear off. New stamp for my passport.

I had a very comfortable stay in the capital, Mbabane. This was made even better by the fact that the hotel I was staying in had a washing machine I could use….as I was down to my last pair of clean knickers, it couldn’t have come at a better time. The girls on reception thought I was hilarious by being so excited about clean clothes!! I unfortunately didn’t get any photos of eSwatini, because the roads were to dangerous to pull over and get any (Narrow roads, cattle, goats, fast traffic, potholes etc). You will have to take my word for what a beautiful country it is, or google it.

Before leaving Mbabane, I popped into their local museum and learned about some of the history of Swaziland, their traditions and British involvement in shaping the country. All very interesting.

Then another boarder crossing backing into South Africa and 2 more stamps for my passport.

The rest of my journey took me to Sodwana Bay. Sometimes following google maps choice of route is difficult. At one point I was on a dirt track in the middle of nowhere and couldn’t believe I was on the right route, but I stuck with it and eventually got to Sodwana Bay.

Finally after over 6 weeks, I was back by the sea…well ocean if we’re going to be pedantic. I LOVE THE SEA/OCEAN soooooo much and had really missed it. It was a long walk down a rickety walkway to the beach….but it was so worth it. The sand, sea, waves, sound, smells…everything was perfect. I sat there for ages, just taking it all in and watching crazy crabs running backwards and forwards.

  • Crazy crabs
  • Huge sand dunes
  • It was a long way down and even further back up again ?

I spent 2 nights at Sodwana Bay and spent most of it on the beach…I even had a little swim. Ocean was warm but a bit rough, so not the best swimming conditions. The area seemed mainly for people taking boats out to go fishing or scuba diving. One of the mornings I woke to find a small gift, left on my car by one of the local monkeys, well I hope it was a monkey and I hadn’t upset one of the staff!!! BTW my poo is all ok now ?

  • View from the resturant
  • Thought I would treat myself as I wasn’t driving
  • This monkey clearly isn’t a fan of BHAFC either ?
  • 1st cloud Ive seen since leaving UK
  • Was it you???? ??

After leaving Sodwana Bay I travelled to Durban. Here I am staying in a very ‘white privileged’ suburb. A really lovely guesthouse, great staff and service. Durban, however, is the first time I have actually felt a bit unsafe. I have no reason for this, other than some of the people look really desperate, poor, no shoes and wearing rags. Even though I saw ‘poor’ people in Joburg, I still got the feeling that the community were looking after each other, as in Soweto. I don’t get that feeling here in Durban.

Durban has a wonderful seafront, with lots of surfers, miles of sandy beaches and if the weather had been better, great swimming conditions. After having a short walk along the seafront, I decided to trust my instincts and have a quiet day back at my lodgings. Here I managed to watch Palace lose against Chelsea and catch up on my blog!!! It was actually nice to have a day doing nothing much.

  • I think a ‘christening’ or blessing was going on.

  • Palace lost!!!
  • Get to the ocean and the weather changes for the worse ?

And finally, because there is a big HIV problem in Africa, you can collect freebies from the girls loos??? And in case you were wondering why I was feeling a bit unsafe…I’ve included a poster to the entrance of a shopping mall!!!

  1. Ok, I’ll leave them at home
  2. Jake will be upset ?
  3. Ooopse broke that rule